Two Famous Animals You Didn’t Know Were Buried in New Mexico

Having to put your loved ones to rest in New Mexico is always heartbreaking. We often lose loved ones when they're too young; before we're ready to let them go; to one of the state's leading causes of death; and even after they've had a long, fulfilling life.

No matter the when or how, it is always sad to see someone you love die.

And it's not only our family members who get put to rest in Arizona, there are also several famous and influential people buried in the state -- including some historic animals.

What famed animals were put to rest in New Mexico?

In my search on Find a Grave, I learned about two animals buried in New Mexico. I would say that both are well-known.

Each of these animals inspired people and made new things possible.

The first is Smokey Bear. 

If you don't know the story of Smokey Bear, I'll tell it to you briefly. In 1950, Smokey, a black bear, was severely burned when he was young in a forest fire in Lincoln National Forest in NM. After being cared for in Santa Fe, Smokey became a symbol of the United States Forest Fire Service's fire prevention program.

Today, Smokey's legacy still lives on in fire prevention campaigns as an image many people know and love.

Smokey died in 1957 in Washington, DC. He was brought back to New Mexico and buried at the Smokey Bear Historical Park.

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The second famous animal laid to rest in the state is Ham. 

This chimpanzee born in 1956 was the first ever in space. Ham, named after the Hollman Air Force Base in New Mexico where he was trained, was blasted into space on January 31, 1961. He proved that the journey was possible for humans.

Ham died in 1983 at the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro. He was brought back to New Mexico to be buried in front of the International Space Hall of Fame in Alamogordo.

These animals provide us with education and a great service

While both Smokey and Ham are gone, I think it's important to remember their legacies, just as we do some people. They were both used in great ways to encourage and teach people.

If you want to learn about more famous animals that have been buried, check out these in Texas.